Minneapolis resident Claire Bootsma sat on a ‘Nice Ride’ bike as it was parked at the rack on Nicollet Ave. at Grant Street in Minneapolis July 1, 2010. (Pioneer Press, file)

The Nice Ride Minnesota bicycle-sharing program has moved a step closer to expanding from Minneapolis into St. Paul. Although specific rental locations haven’t been identified, nearly $2 million in new federal funding and foundation support will allow the program to grow from 65 sites to more than 100 this spring.

“I think in total we’ll probably add 50 more stations this year,” said Bill Dossett, executive director of the Minneapolis-based nonprofit. “You will see stations in St. Paul, but I don’t know how many yet, and I don’t know where.”

He said an official decision is about two weeks away. Eight of the stations will be in North Minneapolis.

As for the potential location of the St. Paul sites, here’s a clue: A chunk of the new funding has come from Macalester College and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, a coalition of foundations that aims to protect the University Avenue neighborhoods around the future light-rail route being built from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis.

A series of public meetings hosted by Nice Ride Minnesota last fall generated more than 800 suggested sites.

Nice Ride, which is based out of the Midtown Bike Center along the Midtown Greenway in South Minneapolis, currently maintains 65 bicycle stations where commuters can rent bikes for short trips, mostly.

Organizers say surveys show 20 percent of the 100,000 trips taken between the program’s launch last June and November would otherwise have been taken by car.”We’re excited to see the success of the first year,” said Hilary Reeves, a spokeswoman for Transit for Livable Communities.

On Monday, Transit for Livable Communities, a St. Paul-based nonprofit organization, announced Nice Ride will receive $1 million from the Federal Highway Administration to fund the program’s expansion. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will add $500,000 as part of a challenge pledge, and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative will put in $250,000.

Macalester College is contributing $30,000 through its High Winds Fund, which aims to improve aesthetics and security on its campus.

In total, Transit for Livable Communities announced it will award federal highway funding of $1.17 million to three capital projects. The city of Fridley will receive $110,000 to add sidewalks and bike lanes from the Northstar commuter rail station and communities to the south.

The city of Minneapolis will receive $62,000 to improve pedestrian safety on Franklin Avenue in the Seward neighborhood.

Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172.

ONLINE

More information about Nice Ride Minnesota is available at its website: NiceRideMN.org.

The April ’10 issue of Bicycling magazine ranks Minneapolis ahead of 49 other large and medium-size cities in accessibility to bicyclists. Portland has long ranked first, both in the magazine’s rankings and other surveys. “Despite the cold wintertime climate, Minneapolis has a thriving bike community. It has 120 miles of on- and off-street bicycle facilities, plus indoor bike parking and other cycling-friendly facilities.”

It’s pretty good when you live in this climate but can still bike to work and play six months out of the year. The Twin Cities have excellent bike lanes, plenty of bike racks, great trails, a bicycle “Midtown Greenway,” and some new free and fair priced rental bike programs. Check out the Minneapolis bike website for maps, trails, detours, and cool things like the new bike sharing program.

What could be cooler than this happy rider?

Bike sharing allows individuals to check out bicycles for short trips. The local non-profit Nice Ride Minnesota operates Minneapolis’ bike sharing system. Individuals must purchase subscriptions to check out bicycles – these are offered at daily, monthly, and yearly rates. Approximately 700 bicycles are located at 65 kiosks in Downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, and nearby commercial areas. View the real-time map to see bicycle availability. I’ve noticed that they are not just available along riding paths – you can easily find them in front of Minnesota’s beloved food co-ops, restaurants, museums and even City Hall. There are over 60 kiosks to choose from.

The “other” Twin (of the Twin Cities) is St. Paul – the most livable city in the US and my town!
Sibley Bike Depot is a not-for-profit community bike shop and volunteer run organization. It grew out of the Yellow bike Coalition (YBC) and The Minnesota Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance (MNBPA). The Depot has Free Open Shop hours every week, even during the winter! This means that anyone can come in during their open hours, work on their bike, use the Depot’s tools, and talk to mechanics free of charge. The Earn a Bike program is an innovative program to provide bikes to people who could not normally afford them. By working in the shop, people can earn-a-bike. The Depot organizes group rides that focus on teaching safe riding techniques and the skills needed to utilize bicycles as a form of transportation. The Sibley Bike Depot is a collective that relies on volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, Email Volunteer Coordinator Jason@sibleybikedepot.org

Luckily the bike-friendly cities are easy for families to bike on. We started out with our little one in a Burly. By the time he was 5 he graduated to a half-bike and now that he’s 9 he rides his own bike. I’ve blogged about Twin Cities bike-a-thons, festivals, and other events in the past. Let me give a shout out for the Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour coming up on Sunday, Sept 12, 2010.
Sign up as an individual, family or group for traffic-free glee, five options from 15 to 54 miles long, music at every stop, and beautiful tree-lined streets and bridges over the Mississippi River.